Physio shared personal views on covid, vaccines and masks - Fitness to Practice inquiry

Anna Marie Stack Rivas was described by her boss as 'a great worker'

A physiotherapist accused of professional misconduct for voicing her personal views on covid 19 has been described as an enthusiastic advocate and a 'great worker.'

Anna Marie Stack Rivas appeared before a fitness-to-practise inquiry of CORU - the regulatory body of health and social care professionals - over the expression of her views on masks and vaccines while identifying herself as a physiotherapist.

Ms Stack Rivas works with children with disabilities in Limerick. The resumed inquiry heard evidence from two of Ms Stack Rivas’ professional colleagues, both of whom said she was fully compliant with regulations imposed due to covid 19 at work.

Breda Corcoran, former Children’s Disability Network Manager said Ms Stack Rivas was 'one of those always willing to help out.’

“She came in as a staff grade physiotherapist, she was very enthusiastic, a great advocate for families and their children. She was a great worker, always willing to help out, to work wherever the need arose," Ms Corcoran said.

“Its an interdisciplinary team, she was one of the members that always had a voice at meetings and always attended the meetings. Anna Marie was one of those always willing to help out,” Ms Corcoran said.

Asked if Ms Stack Rivas had complied with regulations and guidelines at work, Ms Corcoran – who retired in 2021 - replied that she had.

“Yes she did comply – Anna Marie was no different to anyone else. We had very restrictive guidelines. I had no concerns about her not meeting the needs of the children or abiding by the rules and regulations,” she said.

Asked by Counsel for CORU Eoghan O’Sullivan BL if Ms Stack Rivas had discussed her views on covid 19 at work, Ms Corcoran replied ‘no, she didn’t really.’

“When it started off she did state that she had big concerns about it but that was no different to anyone else really, people needed reassurance. She put her head down and did her days work,” Ms Corcoran said.

Barbara Schlueter, Children’s Service Manager at Avista (formerly the Daughters of Charity) in Limerick described Ms Stack Rivas as ‘proactive.’

“Anna Marie as a team member is a very proactive person that always has the interests of children and families at heart. She is always very conscientious of children’s needs and would advocate in team meetings to improve services,” Ms Schlueter said.

Asked if Ms Stack Rivas had ‘good boundaries in terms of her personal views’ Ms Schlueter told the inquiry that she had.

“There’s a diverse workforce within the team with different views and beliefs and we have to cater for that and be respectful of everybody,” she said.

Physiotherapist Margaret Hanlon appeared as an expert witness for CORU. In her report she noted a number of ‘breaches’ of the CORU code of ethics in relation to comments made by Ms Stack Rivas on O’Connell Street in Dublin on June 19 2020 and at an unknown location in December 2020.

The expert witness took issue with Ms Stack Rivas’ comments that children would be damaged by wearing masks in school.

“That is plainly untrue. It’s a very scary statement to parents of children and it will have an affect on adults aswell. I felt that this lead to a possibility of a very unsafe practice for the public, that would leave them at risk,” she said.

The inquiry heard of Ms Stack Rivas’ objections to ingredients in vaccines.

“They are putting all these dangerous ingredients in it (vaccines). It is criminal you know,” Ms Stack is quoted as saying.

Ms Hanlon said these comments were ‘scientifically untrue.’

“The public assumes that we appraise the science. This is unscientific, it is untrue and I feel it was scaremongering and unwise for a healthcare professional,” the expert witness said.

The inquiry heard that Ms Stack Rivas said ‘vaccines are either maiming or murdering our children.’

“I don’t think the public can have confidence in you when are stating such strong views, not backed up by science, that could change their behaviour.”

“The fact it was a physio speaking gives it more weight and it could influence or frighten people,” Ms Hanlon said.

Ms Stack Rivas said in an online interview that she considered the advice discussed at work meetings she attended ‘problematic.’

“Everything that was said, a lot of it I would consider unethical,” she said in an interview on social media.

Ms Hanlon said she felt this was not professional as it ‘lent credence’ to the theory that health professionals were not looking after their patients.

“That there was some other agenda going on,” Ms Hanlon said.

Ms Hanlon was asked by Counsel for Ms Stack Rivas, Elaine Finneran BL if she felt it was a conflict of interest, that she provided physiotherapy services to CORU’s Head of Legal Affairs and Fitness to Practice, Erica Champ.

Ms Hanlon said she felt if you know someone in a personal capacity, that does not amount to a conflict of interest.

“For you to say ‘I have had a past relationship with the Head of Legal Affairs in CORU – you didn’t think that was something that should be disclosed to us? Would you reflect on that in terms of the future?” Ms Finneran said, to which the expert witness replied "Yes absolutely.”

The inquiry, resumed from last July, will hear final legal submissions on a date yet to be fixed. 

Prior to the hearing in July, a sitting of the inquiry in June was adjourned after its chairwoman, Susan Ahern, stepped down over a potential conflict of interest.

Ms Ahern, who is a member of the RTÉ board, recused herself from chairing the inquiry as some of Ms Stack Rivas’ comments were critical of the State broadcaster.

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